The Jafar Scenario

I read a lot of development scripts at work (when I’m not getting lunch for others). They’re mostly fun adventure fantasies that focus on a story kids can get into. There’s a girl to save, a giant baddie, and some wonderful world to explore (if you successfully have these three things, you’re doing better than a lot of scripts already).

Many of these hopeful stories contain what I’ve dubbed “The Jafar Scenario”, named after Aladdin’s eccentric villain. And there’s implied rape in all of these cartoons.

This is any story in which The Hero has been cast aside by The Jafar, now a thousand of miles away. The villain is at the height of his power (this might be known as the “Point of No Hope” to all you screenwriters) and he has the damsel in distress. She’s locked away and has been made to change into some slutty outfit.

It’s clear that there was some awkward period where he made them get naked and watched it happen.

It’s a scenario where Jafar is obviously going to rape the ever-living shit out of her. Not a good thing.

But, because of the Disney PG buffer, he says, “Soon Jasmine, you will all be mine! I will take you tonight!”

“But first, let’s get a registered priest and solidify this thing in the eyes of god”.

Lovely wedding. Then rape.

Granted, there are many marriages still to this day that force unions upon people. In my parents’ time, it was not uncommon to get married to a guy you didn’t love because of social pressures or because he was the only person in your age range in your small podunk town.

It’s improbable that The Jasmine would stay with the villain for the rest of their lives. Sure, this works better in a romance where The Girl That Got Away has settled down with another man for years (everything from Old School to anything Nicholas Sparks writes), but those guys didn’t turn into a giant snake and eat the castle. Jasmine would likely throw herself out of the tower. Question: if a genie can’t kill someone, can he make someone unable to kill themselves?

Please writers, find some better way to create a ticking clock than a marriage at sunset. Not every villain has to have sexual urges for the girl.

Kinda hot.

[Editor’s Note: When trying to find images for this post with Google Safesearch turned off, I learned there is a disturbing number of fanart made depicting Jasmine and her tiger having sex. Like 5 times more than with Jafar or Aladdin.]